Board Members

Justice McLeod has been an accomplished litigator for over a decade with a keen interest in community and social justice issues. The McLeod Group had a well-known and respected reputation as one of the leading boutique criminal, administrative and human rights firms in Toronto.

Justice McLeod has argued cases such as R v. Golden successfully in the Supreme Court of Canada in 1999 intervening for the African Legal Clinic. In 2009, the case of R v. Douse was a landmark case, which revolutionized the traditionally used racial vetting process to now take into consideration non-conscious racism. In 2005, McLeod argued R v. Hamilton and Mason in the Ontario Court of Appeal.

As confirmation of his good work and various achievements, October 2, 2014, marked a new chapter for Justice McLeod as an appointed judge of the Ontario Court of Justice.

Justice McLeod remains very active in the community, in addition to conducting seminars at various legal conferences and community meetings. Notable seminars included a presentation with Paul Burstein to Federal Crowns office with respect to Gladeau Court and Section 718 CC (sentencing applications); presented with Madame Justice Feldman (Ontario Court of Appeal) at the Provincial Judges Conference in London, Ontario with respect to Sections 8, 9, 10(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights; and a guest lecturer at Queen’s University Law School in Criminal Advocacy.

Ainsworth obtained his BSc. in Criminology from the University of Toledo. Following a successful career as a professional athlete at home and abroad, Ainsworth set his sights toward education and received his B.Ed and M.Ed from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. In doing so, he came full circle and returned to Regent Park as a teacher. Ainsworth has been an educator for 17 years and as a testament to that achievement, he was promoted to Principal in September 2015. For the past 20 years, he served as a mentor and community organizer in the Regent Park community.

Marlon Reid, Chair: Finance

Marlon joined CIBC in 2015 to serve in the capacity of Director- Regulatory Complaints and Designated Complaints Officer (DCO). In this role he, among other things, provides leadership and strategic direction to his team and internal business partners of CIBC to resolve client complaints within a complex and stringent regulatory framework. Prior to this role, Marlon spent time exploring opportunities to raise and lead a FinTech alternative lender start-up.

Marlon Reid previously worked at TD Securities, the wholesale banking arm of TD Bank Group for over 11 years in progressive roles. As Vice President, Global Counterparty Credit – Investment Banking, Marlon led a high performing team of professionals supporting Global Energy Markets, Global Precious Metals, Global Foreign Exchange, Asset Securitization and Commercial Paper businesses. His focus involved negotiation and deal execution of TD’s energy origination transactions in addition to various other over-the-counter derivative and capital market transactions. In this capacity, Marlon developed an industry reputation as a skillful, but “disarming” negotiator. Marlon served as co-chair on the Black Community Subcommittee of TD Bank’s Diversity Leadership council for three years on which he held a seat among a team of TD executives.

Marlon is also a tireless and committed role model and community leader. He served two terms as President of the Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professional (formerly Urban Financial Services Coalition) in 2009 and 2010, and later served as Chair of the organization’s Corporate Advisory Board and Chair of the 2012 International Conference.

Marlon holds an undergraduate business degree from York University, a law degree from the University of Ottawa, and a Master of Finance degree from University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. He received appointments to the AGO Next Committee of the Art Gallery of Ontario, YMCA Leadership Council for Innovative Education and to the Financial Services Advisory Board to the Rotman School of Management. Marlon currently sits as a Director on the Toronto Public Library Foundation Board, and the 100 Strong Foundation Board on which he serves as Treasurer.

Gavin Douglas, Finance & Governance

Gavin is a financial services professional with over 20 years of experience in the Property Casualty insurance industry. He is known for his relationship management, sales management, negotiation, coaching as well as business development competencies. Gavin is currently a business transformation consultant for one of the largest insurers in the world. He is responsible for creating a business environment that promotes continuous improvement, increases in operating model consistency, reduces customer pain points, and empowers employees to enhance the value of service.

Gavin has served on non-profit boards and foundations in both Canada and the U.S. where the focus has been professional development, community outreach and the development, coaching, and the encouragement of youth within his community.

Gary Crossdale, Strong Academy – Education

Gary obtained his BA in History from the University of Waterloo. He received his B.Ed from York University and M.Ed from Charles Sturt University.

For the past 18 years, Gary has worked for the Toronto District School Board as a dynamic and innovative educational leader in the community of Regent Park. And for the past five and a half years, he has been the Principal at Lord Dufferin Public School. Gary has been a member of the TDSB Boys’ Strategy Committee, the TDSB Achievement Gap Taskforce and is the co-founder of the Young Men’s Stand Up Conference – an annual event that brings together over 50 men of colour to speak to more than 250 middle school boys about their own personal journey to success.

Gary is a true believer in the importance of positive mentorship and effective role modelling, particularly when it comes to young men of colour. As an educator, Gary has spent his entire career working with students on building resilience, sustaining confidence, establishing high personal expectations while being responsible and engaged citizens.

Dr. Vidoll Regisford, Strong Academy – Education Advisor

Dr. Regisford has held many senior and executive posts within non-profit, government and private sector organizations. With over 30 years of experience, he is known for his strategic competence, design and delivery of successful projects and initiatives geared at achieving business, community and social objectives resulting and achieving multiple outcomes. Dr. Regisford is also a registered Psychotherapist and Clinical Counsellor with membership and national affiliations. He holds a post-doctoral PhD in Counselling Psychology, versed in a variety of culturally adaptive treatment modalities. His passion for service plays out in his participation on several non-profit boards contributing to the social, economic and cultural development of communities in becoming resilient and self-sustaining.

Ray Williams, Chair: Advancement, Communications & Strategy

Ray is a financial services executive with more than 25 years of experience in Global Capital Markets.

Drawing on his achievements within major financial institutions in the London, New York and Toronto markets and in various trading, sales & management capacities, Mr. Williams is currently Managing Director, Risk Management Solutions Group, Government & Institutional for National Bank Financial, one of the top six investment dealers in Canada. In this role, he is responsible for advisory & execution of derivative solutions to a wide range of clients across Canada (with the exception of Quebec). His client base includes large corporations, Financial Institutions, the Federal, Crown and Provincial governments, Mortgage Institutions and Asset Managers.

From 2000 to 2006, Mr. Williams was an advisor to the federal government as part of an external advisory group on Embracing Change, a program designed to reconcile the evident disparities of visible minorities within the federal public service and federally-regulated industries, advising specifically though not exclusively, the President of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the President of the Public Service Human Resource Management Canada (PSHRMAC), and the Clerk of the Privy Council (at the time Alex Himmelfarb).

He is an outspoken champion of workplace diversity and is a Past President (2000) and continuing member of the local chapter of the Urban Financial Services Coalitions (UFSC), the pre-eminent professional trade organization for minorities in the financial services industry. He has been actively involved in the local chapter of UFSC since its inception in 1997 at all levels, and in that capacity acts as a mentor to a number of individuals. Additionally, Mr. Williams was an Advisory Board Member to UFSC for 3 years.

A firm believer in inspiring change within his community, Mr. Williams volunteers in various capacities as a mentor and has sat on the Board of numerous organizations, including the Canadian Foundation for Aids Research (CANFAR 2007-2012). Mr. Williams was also Co-Chair of CANFAR’s Investment Committee and is an ongoing Advisory Board Member. He was also member of the Investment Committee of the United Way of Greater Toronto (2008 -2013).

Mide Akerewusi, Advancement

Mide uses the breadth of his international perspective, academic credentials, fundraising expertise and experience in social change to help nonprofits develop formulas for exponential revenue growth. He is an inspired and energetic fundraising specialist with a uniquely diverse perspective. He has successfully led fundraising teams in a variety of the UK’s best known social impact charities, including the British Red Cross, The Children’s Society, and Scope. His Canadian journey began in 2008 when the YMCA of Greater Toronto sought him to be their Chief Development Officer.

Mide’s inspiration to establish AGENTSC, a fundraising company specializing in social impact, came after he served nearly five years as Director of Leadership Philanthropy at Canada’s pioneering and award winning social innovation – Pathways to Education. At Pathways, Mide led the leadership philanthropy strategy for the charity’s successful $185 million Graduation Nation campaign, which saw the rapid expansion of the program across Canada. Mide was personally responsible for raising more than $20 million from high-net- worth individuals and corporations, and was a member of the leadership team that brought in an additional $60 million towards the charity’s campaign to help children graduate and transition to post-secondary education.

Mide graduated with a B.SC.(Hons) in Business Studies and Sociology from the University of Surrey. He also possesses an M.Sc.(Econ) in The Politics of Asia and Africa, from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London – UK. He is a Certified Corporate Social Responsibility Practitioner (CSR-P), has a designation as a Dialogue Education Practitioner (CDEP), and is a visiting lecturer at George Brown College for the department of Business and Legal Studies.